The contractor chosen to build the new access road in the North Coast Business Park is eager to begin. So eager, the Clatsop County Board of Commissioners scheduled a special meeting Friday, Oct. 5 to approve the contract in order to allow work to start as soon as possible.

The board approved a $2,755,717.75 contract with Thompson Bros. Excavating, Inc. for the project, which involves the extension of S.E. Ensign Lane through the county-owned business park in Warrenton. The Vancouver, Wash. company is expected to start work Oct. 8.

"We will be moving dirt Monday morning," company vice president Joe Thompson told the board.

Ensign Lane runs east-west through the 270-acre property between U.S. Highway 101 and Highway 101-Business. The first section of the road was built by North Coast Retail LLC to serve the commercial development on the park's west side; the county committed to complete the road. The extension project will be funded by the Industrial Development Revolving Fund, which holds the proceeds from the $8.6 million sale of the park's 75-acre commercial property to North Coast Retail.

The Ensign Lane extension is integral to the county's Phase 2 development strategy covering the remaining 195 acres of the business park. The road will also serve to improve overall traffic connectivity by linking Highway 101 and 101-Business.

The project was initially put out for bid in August. When it was found that the resulting low bidder submitted an incorrect bid, all the quotes were rejected and the project was re-bid.